The history of Leolux

1934 - 1955

The early years

The ‘Zuid-Nederlandse Clubmeubelfabriek’ (ZNC) is founded in 1934 as a subsidiary of Rhenania from Viersen (Germany). With a handful of employees, the small company starts producing handmade club furniture. After the turbulent war years (the factory is situated on the front line for a while), Ton Sanders is appointed supervisor by the bank. A few years later, in 1948, he and his brother Jan buy ZNC with the family's money. This marks the start of the pioneering years of Leolux, that the brothers overcame by trial and error.

1955 - 1965

New paths

In the second half of the 1950s, the Sanders brothers decide to specialise in modern furniture. They are inspired by design from Italy and Denmark. New upholstery techniques, foams and imitation leather offer exciting possibilities. Together with designer Harry de Groot, Jan and Ton Sanders start working on their own contemporary collection, which they name Leolux, after the proud lion in the ZNC logo (‘Leo’ is Latin for ‘lion’). The brand name is soon applied to the entire company.

1965 - 1971

The sixties

In the turbulent sixties, Leolux explicitly makes its voice heard. Consumers are now addressed directly, for example with adverts in major Dutch magazines. The company sets up its own showroom in the heart of the Netherlands (1964) and Leolux cautiously begins exporting to neighbouring countries. These are difficult and costly steps, but they are successful! The designs become more sophisticated and the breakthrough comes at the beginning of a new decade. Leolux becomes a household name and a serious player in the modern furniture market in the Netherlands.

1971 - 1979

Investing and strengthening

The oil crises of 1973 and 1979 almost put a spanner in the works. Modern furniture goes out of fashion and nostalgia reigns for almost a decade. Many design manufacturers don't make it, but Leolux remains steadfast, invests in a young management team and increases exports to Belgium and Germany. Leolux opens a showroom in Germany (Krefeld) and a second one in the Netherlands (Eindhoven), focussing on the southern Netherlands and Belgium.

1979 - 1990

International growth

The second generation borrows the ideas of the Leolux pioneers, but Jeroen Sanders and Johan van Beek opt for their own, internationally-orientated interpretation. Iconic products such as Mink, Bora-Bora and Tango inspire the company, and Leolux grows unstoppably year after year. The Pallone armchair, which was developed for the House of the Future in 1989, is still in collection to this day and regarded as a prime example of progressive Leolux design.

1990-2000

New inspiration

To facilitate its rapid growth, Leolux erects new factory buildings in Venlo with modern machinery. At the same time, the design becomes increasingly sophisticated; with the sculptural feet of Papageno, Leolux sets itself apart from the dogmatic design that prevails in those years. In-house artists give Leolux an unmistakable face, collaborations outside the furniture world arise from the urge to innovate. Philips and Leolux, for example, combine audiovisual equipment and furniture design in ‘Plugged Furniture’. Comfort and functionality rise to an unprecedented level.

2000 - 2012

A new millennium

Leolux continues to surprise. The concept ‘a house full of the unique and beautiful’ brings together creative disciplines and unites design, art, photography and architecture. The colourful designs now follow one another rapidly and receive numerous awards. Sanders and Van Beek are now working on their succession. But before they retire, they realise another dream: in 2007, the visitor centre ‘Via Creandi’ (Venlo) is opened; from now on, everyone can see with their own eyes how Leolux furniture is made to order by real craftspeople.

2012 - Present

Looking to the future

In 2012, Sebastiaan Sanders becomes the face of Leolux, which at that moment employs around 350 people. He too is building on the principles of previous generations: Leolux invests in innovation, sustainable materials and production methods as well as contemporary communication techniques. One example of this is the ‘Creator’, which helps website visitors to visualise the many possibilities.

Leolux expands its portfolio with new brands such as Pode and Évidence, each of which has its own position in the market. External art directors give the various brands their own face. From 2016, for example, Studio Roderick Vos has been directing the appearance of the Pode brand (design, photography, trade fair appearances and collection development). In 2020, Studio Truly Truly takes on this task for the Leolux brand.

In 2022, Leolux opens its Experience Center, an inviting 3,500 m2 presentation space by the A2 motorway in Breukelen (NL). Here, consumers, interior design professionals and everyone else can allow themselves to be inspired by the world of Leolux and get to know the various brands of the Leolux Furniture Group.